Play UI gamemodes are how you pick what to farm in Anime Expeditions. Progressive modes push Story, Challenges, Expeditions, and Raids for account growth. Competitive modes chase Crowns and seasonal leaderboards. Sandbox sits off to the side for testing kits without spending a real clear.
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category
Progressive
Story, Challenge, Expeditions, and Raid are the account-growth loop. Hard Mode, Infinite, and Mastery stay under Story stages rather than getting their own lobby cards. Expeditions unlocks at Level 20; Raid follows at Level 25.
Story
Main progressive path with no level gate. Clear Acts on Normal and Hard for Gems, EXP, and materials, then push Mastery and Infinite on each map.
- Category
- Progressive
- Unlock
- -
- Rewards
- Gems, Gold, player EXP, evolution materials, Star Mission Trait Rerolls, Mastery materials and exclusive equipment chances
- Players
- Up to 4 players
- Best for
- First priority for new accounts. Unlocks maps, resources, and readiness for Challenges, Expeditions, and Raids.
- Status
- Current
- Access
- Lobby Play UI, Progressive section.
- Objective
- Clear themed Story stages. Each stage has 5 Acts, a Mastery Act, and an Infinite Mode. Defend waves on Normal or Hard difficulty.
- Special rules
- Hard Mode adds a second first-clear reward set after Normal clears. Mastery consolidates the map pool on Hard and can drop materials or exclusive equipment. Infinite Mode is endless waves with uncapped HP scaling. Star Missions on Normal and Hard grant Trait Rerolls (up to 6 per Act across both difficulties).
Challenge
Rotating Hard Story-style stages with no level gate. Best repeatable farm for Trait Crystals, Sprites, locks, rerolls, and Gems on fixed cadences.
- Category
- Progressive
- Unlock
- -
- Rewards
- Trait Crystals, Sprites, Gems, Gold, Unit EXP, Player EXP, Equipment Lock/Reroll, Stat Lock/Reroll (exact bundles vary by Regular/Daily/Weekly slot)
- Players
- -
- Best for
- Efficient material farm at any account stage. Regular slots refresh often; Daily and Weekly slots pay larger bundles.
- Status
- Current
- Access
- Lobby Play UI, Progressive section.
- Objective
- Clear special Hard-mode Story stages that add Stage Effects. Regular, Daily, and Weekly challenge slots rotate on a shared global schedule.
- Special rules
- Regular Challenges offer 3 choices but only 1 clear every 30 minutes. Daily Challenges reset every 24 hours. Weekly Challenges reset every 7 days. Reward tables can change; treat listed items as reward types, not permanent exact counts.
Expeditions
Unlocks at Player Level 20. Roguelike payload defense plus a dedicated Expedition Hub for long-term Gold, gear materials, and building upgrades.
- Category
- Progressive
- Unlock
- Player Level 20
- Rewards
- Expedition Coins, Fuel Cells, map resources (such as Cursed Timber, Lush Dirt, Aqua Shards), Equipment Scrap, Geodes, Gold, Gems, and hub crafting materials
- Players
- Up to 4 players; shared 14-unit placement cap (1 placement per unit brought)
- Best for
- Core late-game farm after Story. Funds Expedition buildings, equipment rerolls/forge paths, and sustained account upgrades.
- Status
- Current
- Access
- Lobby Play UI, Progressive section, or the Expedition portal once unlocked.
- Objective
- Escort a payload through chosen Expedition nodes, then spend run resources in the Expedition Hub on buildings such as Gold Mine, Resource Drill, Armory, Research Lab, Training Grounds, Shop, and Quest Board.
- Special rules
- Payload starts at 1,000 HP and fails the stage if it reaches 0. Three difficulties raise reward quality. Party leader chooses the node route. Hub facilities unlock more functions as they are built and upgraded.
Raid
Endgame progressive mode unlocked at Player Level 25 in guide consensus. Harder multi-act maps for Raid Tokens, totems, and exclusive drops.
- Category
- Progressive
- Unlock
- Player Level 25
- Rewards
- Raid Tokens (general and map-specific), Raid Shop goods, Raid Totems, exclusive equipment, possible exclusive unit drops, Gems, and Gold
- Players
- Co-op focused; solo clears are possible for easier Raids with a strong evolved team
- Best for
- Main endgame currency and exclusive-drop route after evolving a Story team. Spend Tokens in the matching Raid Shop.
- Status
- Current
- Access
- Lobby Play UI, Progressive section.
- Objective
- Clear difficult Raid stages with unique maps, food types, and Raid-specific rewards. Each Raid uses a three-stage structure rather than Story Acts.
- Special rules
- Raid Totems bought in that Raid's shop grant permanent +0.10x damage in that Raid per totem owned, up to 10 totems (x2 damage). Stage-exclusive units can have higher drop chance on harder difficulties. Spirit City is the documented Raid stage roster entry.
| Name | Description | Category | Unlock | Rewards | Players | Best for | Status | Access | Objective | Special rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story | Main progressive path with no level gate. Clear Acts on Normal and Hard for Gems, EXP, and materials, then push Mastery and Infinite on each map. | Progressive | - | Gems, Gold, player EXP, evolution materials, Star Mission Trait Rerolls, Mastery materials and exclusive equipment chances | Up to 4 players | First priority for new accounts. Unlocks maps, resources, and readiness for Challenges, Expeditions, and Raids. | Current | Lobby Play UI, Progressive section. | Clear themed Story stages. Each stage has 5 Acts, a Mastery Act, and an Infinite Mode. Defend waves on Normal or Hard difficulty. | Hard Mode adds a second first-clear reward set after Normal clears. Mastery consolidates the map pool on Hard and can drop materials or exclusive equipment. Infinite Mode is endless waves with uncapped HP scaling. Star Missions on Normal and Hard grant Trait Rerolls (up to 6 per Act across both difficulties). |
| Challenge | Rotating Hard Story-style stages with no level gate. Best repeatable farm for Trait Crystals, Sprites, locks, rerolls, and Gems on fixed cadences. | Progressive | - | Trait Crystals, Sprites, Gems, Gold, Unit EXP, Player EXP, Equipment Lock/Reroll, Stat Lock/Reroll (exact bundles vary by Regular/Daily/Weekly slot) | - | Efficient material farm at any account stage. Regular slots refresh often; Daily and Weekly slots pay larger bundles. | Current | Lobby Play UI, Progressive section. | Clear special Hard-mode Story stages that add Stage Effects. Regular, Daily, and Weekly challenge slots rotate on a shared global schedule. | Regular Challenges offer 3 choices but only 1 clear every 30 minutes. Daily Challenges reset every 24 hours. Weekly Challenges reset every 7 days. Reward tables can change; treat listed items as reward types, not permanent exact counts. |
| Expeditions | Unlocks at Player Level 20. Roguelike payload defense plus a dedicated Expedition Hub for long-term Gold, gear materials, and building upgrades. | Progressive | Player Level 20 | Expedition Coins, Fuel Cells, map resources (such as Cursed Timber, Lush Dirt, Aqua Shards), Equipment Scrap, Geodes, Gold, Gems, and hub crafting materials | Up to 4 players; shared 14-unit placement cap (1 placement per unit brought) | Core late-game farm after Story. Funds Expedition buildings, equipment rerolls/forge paths, and sustained account upgrades. | Current | Lobby Play UI, Progressive section, or the Expedition portal once unlocked. | Escort a payload through chosen Expedition nodes, then spend run resources in the Expedition Hub on buildings such as Gold Mine, Resource Drill, Armory, Research Lab, Training Grounds, Shop, and Quest Board. | Payload starts at 1,000 HP and fails the stage if it reaches 0. Three difficulties raise reward quality. Party leader chooses the node route. Hub facilities unlock more functions as they are built and upgraded. |
| Raid | Endgame progressive mode unlocked at Player Level 25 in guide consensus. Harder multi-act maps for Raid Tokens, totems, and exclusive drops. | Progressive | Player Level 25 | Raid Tokens (general and map-specific), Raid Shop goods, Raid Totems, exclusive equipment, possible exclusive unit drops, Gems, and Gold | Co-op focused; solo clears are possible for easier Raids with a strong evolved team | Main endgame currency and exclusive-drop route after evolving a Story team. Spend Tokens in the matching Raid Shop. | Current | Lobby Play UI, Progressive section. | Clear difficult Raid stages with unique maps, food types, and Raid-specific rewards. Each Raid uses a three-stage structure rather than Story Acts. | Raid Totems bought in that Raid's shop grant permanent +0.10x damage in that Raid per totem owned, up to 10 totems (x2 damage). Stage-exclusive units can have higher drop chance on harder difficulties. Spirit City is the documented Raid stage roster entry. |
category
Competitive
Tournament and Global Tournament chase leaderboards and seasonal cosmetics. Weekly brackets and major-update Seasons reset, so exclusive rewards rotate. Use these after you already have a team that can clear under Stage Effects or Infinite pressure.
Tournament
Weekly competitive brackets with no level gate. Climb Solo or Duo leaderboards for Crowns, shop cosmetics, and rotating exclusives.
- Category
- Competitive
- Unlock
- -
- Rewards
- Crowns for the Tournament Shop, profile cosmetics such as Unit Indicator Colors, and rotating exclusive units or skins tied to the current reset
- Players
- Solo or Duo brackets
- Best for
- Seasonal competitive grind for Crowns and exclusives. Complements Story farming rather than replacing it.
- Status
- Current
- Access
- Lobby Play UI, Competitive section.
- Objective
- Clear rotating Tournament stages under Stage Effects and score for bracket leaderboard placement using conditions such as damage dealt or enemies killed.
- Special rules
- Resets weekly. Leaderboard standings wipe and players are reassigned into random brackets. Traits are disabled in Tournament matches according to beginner guides, so play skill matters more than trait luck. Exact exclusive rewards change each reset.
Global Tournament
Competitive Infinite-wave ladder with no level gate. Each map tracks highest wave reached across a major-update Season.
- Category
- Competitive
- Unlock
- -
- Rewards
- Seasonal accessories, titles, and skins that rotate each major-update Season
- Players
- Up to 4 players; the team shares one leaderboard slot
- Best for
- Long competitive push for seasonal cosmetics and Infinite records after you have a strong Infinite team.
- Status
- Current
- Access
- Lobby Play UI, Competitive section.
- Objective
- Push any map's Infinite Mode for the highest wave score. Each map has its own active Global Tournament leaderboard.
- Special rules
- Seasons run on a per-major-update cycle. Score is based on highest wave reached, not weekly Tournament bracket points. Season reward sets change; do not treat one Season's exclusives as permanent.
| Name | Description | Category | Unlock | Rewards | Players | Best for | Status | Access | Objective | Special rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tournament | Weekly competitive brackets with no level gate. Climb Solo or Duo leaderboards for Crowns, shop cosmetics, and rotating exclusives. | Competitive | - | Crowns for the Tournament Shop, profile cosmetics such as Unit Indicator Colors, and rotating exclusive units or skins tied to the current reset | Solo or Duo brackets | Seasonal competitive grind for Crowns and exclusives. Complements Story farming rather than replacing it. | Current | Lobby Play UI, Competitive section. | Clear rotating Tournament stages under Stage Effects and score for bracket leaderboard placement using conditions such as damage dealt or enemies killed. | Resets weekly. Leaderboard standings wipe and players are reassigned into random brackets. Traits are disabled in Tournament matches according to beginner guides, so play skill matters more than trait luck. Exact exclusive rewards change each reset. |
| Global Tournament | Competitive Infinite-wave ladder with no level gate. Each map tracks highest wave reached across a major-update Season. | Competitive | - | Seasonal accessories, titles, and skins that rotate each major-update Season | Up to 4 players; the team shares one leaderboard slot | Long competitive push for seasonal cosmetics and Infinite records after you have a strong Infinite team. | Current | Lobby Play UI, Competitive section. | Push any map's Infinite Mode for the highest wave score. Each map has its own active Global Tournament leaderboard. | Seasons run on a per-major-update cycle. Score is based on highest wave reached, not weekly Tournament bracket points. Season reward sets change; do not treat one Season's exclusives as permanent. |
category
Other
Sandbox is testing only. Configure Yen, waves, units, enemies, modifiers, and maps from the Controls panel. It does not farm progression rewards.
Sandbox
Testing-only Play UI mode. Freely configure Yen, waves, units, enemies, modifiers, and maps with no progression farm.
- Category
- Other
- Unlock
- Play UI
- Rewards
- None. Sandbox is for testing, not account progression rewards.
- Players
- -
- Best for
- Practice and theory-crafting tool. Use it to learn kits and modifiers before spending time in Story, Challenge, Raid, or competitive modes.
- Status
- Current
- Access
- Lobby Play UI, Other section.
- Objective
- Open Sandbox, pick a map, and use the Controls panel to test unit kits, enemy interactions, and stage conditions outside normal clears.
- Special rules
- Controls cover Game, Units, Enemies, Modifiers, and Maps. Base stocks reaching zero do not end the match. Manually spawned enemy HP is hardcapped at 99.9M while naturally spawned enemies can scale higher.
| Name | Description | Category | Unlock | Rewards | Players | Best for | Status | Access | Objective | Special rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandbox | Testing-only Play UI mode. Freely configure Yen, waves, units, enemies, modifiers, and maps with no progression farm. | Other | Play UI | None. Sandbox is for testing, not account progression rewards. | - | Practice and theory-crafting tool. Use it to learn kits and modifiers before spending time in Story, Challenge, Raid, or competitive modes. | Current | Lobby Play UI, Other section. | Open Sandbox, pick a map, and use the Controls panel to test unit kits, enemy interactions, and stage conditions outside normal clears. | Controls cover Game, Units, Enemies, Modifiers, and Maps. Base stocks reaching zero do not end the match. Manually spawned enemy HP is hardcapped at 99.9M while naturally spawned enemies can scale higher. |
Start in Story. There is no level gate, and clearing Acts is what opens maps, materials, and the rest of the ladder. Hard Mode, Mastery, and Infinite are not separate Play UI entries. They live on each Story stage once you are ready for a second clear set, a consolidated Mastery act, or endless waves.
Challenges sit beside Story with no unlock either. Use Regular slots when you want a quick material pull every 30 minutes, then save Daily and Weekly for bigger Trait Crystal, Sprite, lock, and reroll bundles. Reward tables can drift, so treat Challenge payouts as reward types, not forever-fixed counts.
Hit Player Level 20 for Expeditions. That mode is payload defense plus a dedicated Hub: you escort the cart through chosen nodes, then spend Fuel Cells, Expedition Coins, and map resources on buildings like Gold Mine, Armory, and Research Lab. It is the long grind for gear materials after Story stops being the bottleneck.
Raid opens around Player Level 25 (guide consensus). Expect three-stage maps, Raid Tokens, map shops, totems, and exclusive equipment or unit chances. Totems bought for that Raid stack permanent damage there, so early Token spend often goes into the totem path before cosmetics.
Progressive vs Competitive
| Need | Mode | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maps, Gems, Trait Rerolls | Story | First clears, Star Missions, Mastery/Infinite depth |
| Trait Crystals / locks on a timer | Challenge | Regular, Daily, Weekly cadences |
| Hub buildings and forge materials | Expeditions | Level 20 payload runs + Expedition Hub |
| Raid Tokens and exclusives | Raid | Level 25 endgame shops and totems |
| Crowns and weekly exclusives | Tournament | Solo/Duo brackets; traits disabled per beginner guides |
| Season skins and Infinite records | Global Tournament | Per-map highest wave across a major-update Season |
| Practice only | Sandbox | Controls for units, enemies, modifiers, maps |
Tournament resets weekly and reassigns brackets. Global Tournament tracks Infinite wave scores per map across a longer Season and pays accessories, titles, and skins that rotate. Neither replaces Story farming; they sit on top once your team can compete.
Sandbox is for learning kits and Stage Effects before you burn Challenge timers or Raid attempts. Base stocks hitting zero do not end the match there, so you can poke systems without a fail condition eating the run.
Common mistakes
- Treating Hard, Infinite, or Mastery as their own lobby modes instead of Story stage options.
- Skipping Challenges while grinding Story only, then wondering why Trait Crystal and lock stock stays thin.
- Opening Expeditions or Raid underleveled and blaming the mode instead of the Level 20 / 25 gate.
- Spending Tournament time for account progression rewards; Crowns and exclusives are the point, not your main Gem loop.
- Expecting Sandbox to drop progression loot.
FAQ
What gamemode should I play first in Anime Expeditions?
Start with Story. There is no level gate, and Act clears unlock maps and resources you need for everything else. Layer Challenges early for Trait Crystals and locks, then unlock Expeditions at Level 20 and Raid at Level 25.
Are Hard Mode, Infinite, and Mastery separate gamemodes?
No. They are Story stage options on each map. Hard adds a second first-clear reward set, Mastery consolidates the map pool on Hard with material or exclusive equipment chances, and Infinite is endless waves with uncapped HP scaling.
When do Expeditions and Raid unlock?
Expeditions unlocks at Player Level 20 (Play UI or the Expedition portal). Raid unlocks at Player Level 25 based on guide consensus. Story, Challenge, Tournament, and Global Tournament have no level gate.
What is the difference between Tournament and Global Tournament?
Tournament is weekly Solo or Duo brackets scored on stage conditions like damage or kills, paying Crowns and rotating exclusives. Global Tournament tracks highest Infinite wave per map across a major-update Season and pays seasonal accessories, titles, and skins.
Are traits disabled in Tournament?
Beginner guides say traits are disabled in Tournament matches, so skill and team construction matter more than trait luck. Confirm in the live lobby if a patch changes that rule.
Does Sandbox give rewards?
No. Sandbox is for testing units, enemies, modifiers, and maps. Use it to learn kits before spending Challenge timers or Raid attempts. Progression farms stay in Progressive and Competitive modes.
How do Challenge Regular, Daily, and Weekly slots work?
Regular Challenges offer three choices but only one clear every 30 minutes. Daily resets every 24 hours. Weekly resets every 7 days. Exact bundles can change; expect Trait Crystals, Sprites, Gems, locks, rerolls, and EXP as reward types.
